While terms of the transaction were not disclosed and there will be some transaction-related costs, Dust’s ongoing results are not expected to be material in the short term to Linear’s financial statements, according to Linear.

“Smart Dust” was first conceived as a simple way to deploy intelligent wireless sensors by Kris Pister, founder and chief technologist of Dust Networks. The company then pioneered SmartMesh networks that comprise a self-forming mesh of nodes, or “motes,” which collect and relay data, and a network manager that monitors and manages network performance and sends data to the host application.

All motes in a SmartMesh network—even the routing nodes—are designed to run on batteries for years, allowing the ultimate flexibility in placing sensors exactly where they need to go with low cost “peel and stick” installations.

The hallmark of Dust Networks’ technology is that it combines low power, standards-based radio technology, time diversity, frequency diversity, and physical diversity—to assure reliability, scalability, wire-free power source flexibility, and ease-of-use, according to the company.

Combining sensor technology into a linear technology powerhouse might get other linear technology powerhouses to take similar steps. Anyone who ignores sensor technology in the "the Internet of everything" age does so at their peril.

It is the first acquisition of Linear Technology for the last 30 years as this company is so conservative in bringing new stuff in its own unique culture. Hope this is a good move for this customer to seek healthy growth.